The US wants to use Starlink abroad as a means of establishing diplomatic ties

Elon Musk's SpaceX satellite internet service Starlink is directly benefiting from the Trump administration's trade war, according to leaked State Department memos, the Washington Post reports.

For example, when the US imposed a 50% tariff on goods from the African country of Lesotho, the country soon signed a 10-year contract with Starlink. One document directly links the events.

State Department officials have openly called the promotion of Starlink a "patriotic task," citing the need to counter Chinese technology companies.

Elon Musk is the founder and CEO of SpaceX and one of the Trump administration's closest advisers. A White House spokesman told WP that there is no conflict of interest in this situation.